I took out my phone and started playing Candy Crush. I was standing in line trying to kill some time instead of the guy in front of me at the Deli Counter. He was taking more than his sweet time pacing in front of the glass case reviewing the array of meats and cheeses. In a very thick Brooklyn accent he asked the clerk. " I'd like some Mortadella. Where is your Mortadella?". The clerk gave him a quizzical look. He looked like your typical Midwestern teenager and most likely didn't know what Mortadella was, let alone how to pronounce it. Mr. East Coast continued "I just moved here and will probably come in here.....a lot." The clerk just shrugged his shoulders as to say, I ain't holding out on you mister. New Yorker sighed and and finally asked for a pound of Hard Salami. "Fresh slices please." I wanted to say "Excuse me, but this is Cub. The Hard Salami already comes pre- sliced in a bag. You need to go over to Byerlys." but I pretended I was too pre-occupied to notice their exchange. He took his purchase and tossed it into his basket and I could tell he was dissapointed. It is hard to try to translate yourself into a new and unfamiliar community and bring your old life with you. Especially if you are a foodie and just moved into the land of bologna and Velveeta.

Lately I find God taking me out of my comfort zone. It is both exciting and scary! Trusting that God wants the very best for me, I continue to take forward baby steps out of what is familiar and comfortable. God can turn things around in a flash and create good out of bad and NOTHING is ever lost or hopeless to the Creator. Nope. We have the God of suddenlies! It is one thing to think this, another to believe it and amazingly and utterly cosmic to walk it out. I have simply stopped analyzing and just started to trust. My pea brain can't comprehend it all, anyway. Things I thought would never happen are suddenly manifesting in a matter of weeks. You think I would be over joyed but I have terrified my family at time with my wide range of fearful hysterics. Why? No matter how much we say we want things to change, when it comes down to it, most of us would rather stay where we are at. I think it comes down to fear. Fear of failure. Fear of making a mistake. Fear of lack. Fear of success. Fear of having it all. Fear of not really be worthy of getting what you have always wished for. Would it help you move forward if you knew how much God loved you and wanted the very best for you? That you are worthy, righteous and valued as the precious child of the most high God? No matter if you have believed in Him for years or just met Him 2 seconds ago? It is that simple peeps. He wants to give you the world. His world! Open your arms and MIND to receive. Just receive! This year decide you will just receive and stop trying to figure it all out.

One of the benefits of giving up your self righteousness for God's gift of righteousness, is that you lose the job of being the world's moral policeman. And that is so freeing. It makes life so much simpler to live. Instead of looking at everyone, trying to decide A: did they do right or wrong, and B: should I reward or punish them, you move into God's way of thinking and behaving. And that is love. "But look at what they did! They are awful because they did x,y, and don't even get me started on z!" True, they might be engaged in wrong behavior, but, I take my cue from God. He showed me love when I did wrong, He is showing love to others when they do wrong, so I'm going to follow His lead, and treat others the same way God is. With mercy, love, and compassion.

It's very stressful to always be at "war" with the world. To look at the masses and think of them as the "enemy". Much better, and more accurate, to see people as the hurt and wounded. And God has sent YOU, to be an instrument of healing.

I love to go have lunch with my friend Jim, after church. He actually talks
more than I do and we have fascinating discussions about unbearable
co-workers and why Jesus would even bother coming back, in person, when He
could just show up on everyone's iphone. As a free AP, of course.

Where do you want to go today? So we both rattle off a handful of
restaurant names. No, nope too greasy, too far, sick of that place...blah
blah. Then I mention Plumbees. It is close, but I don't really want to go
there so I keep suggesting other places. Now Jim is set on going to freakin
Plumbees. Agghhh! Detest that place! So, I arrive first and grab a table.
As the server comes over to bring me some water, the Holy Spirit starts to
download some information about him. The server doesn't look happy and the
Holy Spirit starts to tell me why.

Suddenly, Jim arrives and I am momentarily distracted. We order, get our
lunch and as the server comes back to check on us, I say Oh, I don't want
you to think I am crazy but sometimes God speaks to me and ...... Ha! He
stood there with his mouth open as God told him how He saw him, pinpointed
some fears that needed to go and revealed some awesome things about his
future. The server said Thank you! Amazing. You were spot on! He left
smiling. As we ate, I watched as he bounced around the restaurant with a
more joyful energy and I could tell that God's word had touched him. It
reminded me of a line from a Godfrey Birtill
https://www.facebook.com/godfreyb song, " Just one touch from the King
changes everything." Yep. It sure does. Just remember, God always wants to
encourage and edify His children. If you get a word of knowledge or
prophecy for someone, share it. Just step out and do it. Take a chance. I
have never had anyone reject a word I gave them. Why? Because God's words
are always healing! Besides, any truthful word from God, you relay to
anyone, will come across as love. Not crazy. Not weird. Not shaming. Not
guilt producing. Not judging. Just Love. Pure and simple, LOVE. Ahhhhh,
after Sunday, I still think the food stinks, but I now sure have a soft
spot in my heart for Plumbees. This stuff never gets old!

“The concept of the universe as a giant hologram containing both matter and consciousness as a single field will, I am sure, excite anyone who has asked the question, ‘What is reality?’ ” Fred Alan Wolf, Ph.D.Webster’s Dictionary –Hologram-a special kind of picture that is produced by a laser and looks three-dimensional.“In some sense man is a microcosm of the universe; therefore what man is, is a clue to the universe. We are enfolded in the universe. “ David Bohm “As a man who has devoted his whole life to the most clear-headed science, to the study of matter, I can tell you as a result of my research about the atoms this much: There is no matter as such! All matter originates and exists only by virtue of a force which brings the particles of an atom to vibration and holds this most minute solar system of the atom together ... We must assume behind this force the existence of a conscious and intelligent Mind. This Mind is the matrix of all matter.” Max Planck , Father of Quantum Physics Perception affects biology…..Atoms that are made of energy make up molecules, so molecules are made of energy. Molecules make up cells and since molecules are made of energy, cells are made of energy. Cells are what the human body is comprised of and as a result the human body is comprised of energy. There is nothing material about the human body. Paraphrase of Dr. Bruce Lipton discussing our physical bodies at their most basic. “We human beings consider ourselves to be made up of “solid matter.” Actually , the physical body is the end product, so to speak, of the subtle information fields, which mold our physical body as well as all physical matter. These fields are holograms which change in time (and are) outside the reach of our normal sense. This is what clairvoyants perceive as colorful egg-shaped halos or auras surrounding our physical bodies.” Itzhak Bentov, Stalking the Wild Pendulem“The material world is created by you through your expectations for it.….. Your expectations are created, unconsciously, by your beliefs….. You can change any belief you choose if you want to align a belief with a desire you have …..If you change a belief, the expectations it unconsciously creates will naturally change too…… Once your expectations change, your material reality will change in accordance. This is how our universe functions, you can depend on that…..I spent the first 40 years of my life thinking that my thoughts were reactions to my life experiences. Funny. Good to know, now, that it’s the other way around.” A series of quotes from author Greg Kuhn who has written a series on Quantum Physics. “Miracles happen, not in opposition to Nature, but in opposition to what we know of Nature.” St. Augustine. “Then there is the further question of what is the relationship of thinking to reality. As careful attention shows, thought itself is in an actual process of movement.” David Bohm

[Eph 1:17-23 KJV] 17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: 18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, 19 And what [is] the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, 20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set [him] at his own right hand in the heavenly [places], 21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: 22 And hath put all [things] under his feet, and gave him [to be] the head over all [things] to the church, 23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.[Eph 3:16-21 KJV] We pray also that you 16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; 17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what [is] the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. 20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, 21 Unto him [be] glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.Notice verse 17 says we are asking for the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him. Verse 18 asks that we may know the hope of his calling (Rom 8:29, Eph 1,4,5,11; 2 Tim 1:9). May I suggest that the word hope is in the Greek elpis, and this is as to pray that we may know the expectation of His call, which is to grow up in to Christ, sharing the character and the power of God in Christ Jesus , fellowship and relationship with God Himself (1 Cor 1:9; 1 John 1:3). In verse 18 we also ask Him to show us how rich is the glorious inheritance in us, His saints. Col 1:29 tells us Christ in You, is the hope or expectation of glory. Through relationship with Himself, God has qualified us for and given to us an inheritance which includes everything that belongs to Christ, everything that pertains to life and godliness (Rom 8:17; Col 1:12; II Pet 1:3). In verse 19 we are asking to more fully understand the power that is in me and for me is the same power that raised Christ and I from the dead as we see if we read through to Eph 2:6 (1 Peter 3:18). That is resurrection power, and more specifically the life and the power of God by the glory of the Father (Rom 6:4). In verses 22 and 23 we pray that we may realize that Christ is the head over all things, for the benefit of the church, which is his body, that is you and I, we are his body, and what is more, we have been made full and complete by His filling us with Himself. In chapter 3, verse 16 Paul prays that we would be strengthened by His Spirit in our inner self. Notice God is working from the inside out. In verse 17 we asked that Christ would dwell in our hearts by faith. The Bible is clear that if you are saved He dwells in you, as does the entire Godhead (Col 2:10 AMP), so this would seem to be a prayer to help you believe or trust that salvation for every area of life is in you, and as we will see is a person, not a doctrine. This prayer continues by asking that I would be rooted and grounded in love. 1 John 4:8 & 16 tell me that God is love. This is then as to say rooted and grounded in God. In verse 19 Paul prays that I would come to understand the love of Christ, and as a result become filled with all the fullness of God, and in verse 20 Paul gives praise to God who is able to do exceedingly, abundantly, above all that I ask or think according to the power that works in me. Hopefully it has not been lost on anyone, that Paul, who had opportunity to pray for the entire church for all times in 50 A.D., did not pray for God to do something for us, but to reveal to us what God has already done. If you had asked me a year ago why this prayer was so important I would have told you, and I think this is still a correct answer, I am asking God to reveal Himself to me. I am asking that God would help me know more about Him, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This is the politically correct response in the church no doubt. Over the last year though, I will admit I have come to progressively understand that the Bible is a book about me and my family heritage, and this prayer for God to reveal who He is helps me to understand my family line. Consider Psalm 40:7 quoted in Hebrews 10:7, the volume of the book is about Jesus. Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book [it is] written of me, (Psa 40:7 KJV)John 5:39 tells us the same thing. Jesus speaking says, Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.If the Bible is all about Christ, and my life as a result of the new birth is hidden with Christ in God, then the Bible is about my family, the family of God . [Gal 2:20 KJV] 20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me……. Col 1:27 says that the riches of the glory of the mystery among the Gentiles is Christ in you, the hope (expectation) of glory:Col 3:3 ties Gal 2:20 and Col 1:27 together telling us that we are dead, and our life is hid with Christ in God.You live in the day Jesus spoke of in his earthly ministry, the day of humanity in union with the life of God. Jesus told His disciples that in this day, the day of the New Covenant, we would know that He was in His Father, and we in Him, and He in us (John 14:20). You are in union with the Godhead. Union according to Webster’s dictionary is an act of joining two or more things together into one. You and the Godhead are one as a result of the new birth. I repeat, you and God are one. This union that has taken place is between God who is Spirit (John 4:24), and your spirit. Remember, you are a spirit, that possesses a soul and lives in a body (1 Thess 5:23). God who is spirit, and you who are spirit, are in union. Two spirits, joined together into one. The person who is united to the Lord becomes one spirit with Him (1 Cor 6:17 AMP). You and God are one( (S)spirit). As a result of this union whatever is in His life is now in your person. Your spirit person which is the real you, and He Who is Spirit person share the same characteristics or nature. You are a child of God, your nature is that of the divine one because you have been united to that nature through the new birth. Paul’s Ephesian prayer is asking God to show you who God is and what is in his nature and character, what makes Him who He is, because that is the life you now share. It is who you are. When you received Jesus, you received eternal life, zoe. That is as to say “life without beginning or end, life uncreated, life as God has it” . Whatever is in the life of God is now in union with you. Your study of the Bible is now the study of your family line. From Genesis to Revelation when God reveals Himself, He is revealing the life, character and nature of Himself and anyone who is connected to that life through the Son. 1 Jo 5:11-12 tells us that God has given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that has the Son has life; [and] he that has not the Son of God has not life.When you received Jesus, you received the life that has no beginning and no end, you received the uncreated life that God Himself has, and everything that is in that life defines who you are in union with God. One of the ways to more fully understand the life that is now in you by your connection to the Son is to study the promises of God. When God makes you a promise, since he can not promise something that is contrary to His person, you get a look in to the very character and nature of God. The Bible has promises for healing, peace, provision, comfort, and good things for every area of life. This is because God by His nature is all of these things and more. When you received Jesus as your Savior, you who are now in union with the Godhead became one with healing, peace, provision, comfort and goodness for every area of life. 2Cor 1:20 tells us that all the promises of God in Jesus are yes, and amen, because when you received Jesus you received the divine nature, and everything in that nature. By coming to understand the promises, you come to understand the DNA or the nature, character and composition of the uncreated life of God. In the New Testament the Bible calls this life in the Greek, Zoe. 2 Pe 1:3-4 says God’s divine power has given us all things that [pertain] unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue. By this glory and virtue, descriptive words referring to the nature of God, are given to us exceeding great and precious promises. It is by these promises you are a partakers ( have in common, are a partner ) in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.When you received Jesus, you received all that He had in Him, which we know is the Life of God (John 5:26). Your spirit, and His Spirit are one and you share everything in that divine nature as a companion, partner or partaker. You became an active participant in the life of God. He has shared that life with you. In that life is salvation for every area of life. As you consider a promise for healing (1 Peter 2:24), consider that by that promise you did not just get healed, you received healing as your very nature when you entered in to union with He who is salvation from sickness. He is healing, and you are healing because of your union with Him. Find a promise and consider that promise as an attribute of the life of God that you are in union with. His life is your life because you are one with Him. Because you share His life you share in the life that is salvation for every challenge in life. Another way to understand the nature and character of God, and that of his children is to study the names of God. In Bible times, a name was not only an identification but an identity. The names God chose to reveal Himself to us reveal the character, personality and nature of God. They reveal what is in the life of God that you are in union with. Jehovah Tsidkenu (Jer 23:6) for example is translated as “The Existing One” or “Lord” has the chief meaning of Jehovah derived from the Hebrew word Havah meaning “to be” and Tsedek , from which Tsidkenu comes meaning “to be stiff,” “to be straight,” or “righteous.” When the two words are combined it can be translated “The Lord who is our righteousness.” The New Testament confirms that God because of our union with His life, has become our righteousness. In 2 Cor 5:21 we see God made Jesus [to be] sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. Notice the righteousness we have become is the only righteousness God could offer us when He shared His life with us. We are the righteousness of God. El Shaddai is a name through which God revealed Himself to Abraham in Gen 17:1 as the All-Sufficient One, Lord God Almighty. In that passage the Lord said to Abraham if you walk before me you will be blameless, wholehearted and complete ( AMP). This same thought appears in Gen 28:3 where God again identifies Himself as the All Sufficient One, Lord God Almighty and tells His covenant people He will bless them, and make them fruitful, and multiply them. This is the nature of God revealed in the name El Shaddai. God who by His very nature is our sustainer, nourishment, supply and blessing, has joined His nature to our nature. Our union with Him means we look inside us to the life we share with Him for our complete provision. Eph 1:3 (Phillips) For giving us through Christ every possible spiritual benefit as citizens of heaven. The spiritual (invisible) blessings that have been given to us are those appropriate for citizens of heaven. I received them because I am in union with Christ. Blessing is my very nature because blessing is God’s nature, and I am one with Him through Christ. Consider Genesis 1:1 for a moment. In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. Before God created heaven and earth, it was only God. Everything that is in heaven and earth was created by God by releasing what is in Him, in His uncreated life, to create everything that exists. Earth of course has never been seen by us without curse, but consider that the life that created heaven and earth in all their speldor, is in YOU. You that are joined to the Lord are one spirit with Him (1 Cor 6:17)Contemplate the wealth that is in you, because you have the life of God. I am not just to have wealth and abundant provision (2 Cor 8:9). I am abundant provision by my union with He Who is Abundant Provision. Meditate on this, For as you think in your heart, so are you (Pro 23:7). As I have spent time on who I am in Christ, I have come to the conclusion that I have not just been abundantly blessed to be a blessing, I am an abundant blessing to be a blessing, because I am joined to He who is all things that are good. The name of God, Jehovah Raah, The Lord my Shepherd shows us God is a Shepherd, one who feeds or leads his flock to pasture (Eze 34:11-19). An extended translation of this word , rea’, is friend or companion. This indicates the intimacy God desires between Himself and His people. When the two words are combined Jehovah Raah, it can be translated the Lord my Friend, and speaks of His feeding and leading to pasture. When I consider that I am joined to He who is Jehovah Raah, I was reminded of Pro 18:24 which says “there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother.” The Lord is my friend, and He is closer than a brother, two have become one, that is union. Jehovah Raah can be found in Gen 48:15 also and speaks of God blessing Joseph. In that passage Joseph said of God He fed me all my life long unto this day. The 23 Psalm, verse 1 tells the same story and taken from the Septuagint says, The Lord tends me, and not one thing lacks for me. Col 2:9-10 (AMP) points out clearly that you do not lack in your union with God, It says, In Christ the whole fullness of Deity (the Godhead) continues to dwell in bodily form [giving complete expression of the divine nature]. And you [a]are in Him, made full and having come to fullness of life [in Christ you too are filled with the Godhead—Father, Son and Holy Spirit—and reach full spiritual stature].You are filled with the Godhead. Ephesians 3:20 tells us that the power and provision comes from within as He is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,Jehovan Rapha, the Lord who heals is the name of God He chose to reveal to us that He is the restorer and healer, He makes healthful. Again, a name is not only an identification but an identity. God’s names reveal the central personality and the nature of the one who bears them and whose life you share. In Jehovah Rapha , we find a God whose very nature is healing, and in your union with Him your nature is healing. As we look at the following passages, notice healing was not ministered it was a result of the life that is in Christ being made available. In Mark 5:28-29 we see the woman with the issue of blood say, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole. 29 And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in [her] body that she was healed of that plague.30 And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothesJesus knew power had been withdrawn from His person, but He did not minister it in the traditional sense. The woman with a need made a withdrawal from the life of God in Christ. In Acts 5:15 we see sick people were brought out into the streets on beds and mats so that Peter's shadow might fall across some of them as he went by.Sick people were apparently laid in the streets not for Peter to minister to, but so that the life of God in Peter could come into close enough proximity that they would be healed. I am not saying do not lay hands on people, but in the same manner when we come into contact with someone who has a need that the life of Jehovah Rapha (Ex 15:26) can minister to, do not beg Him to send healing. Just agree that the Lord that heals is one spirit with us and we are here to do what He would have done, meet a need . We are learning to trust that the life that is in us, the life that we are joined to, the life that we possess contains everything He is, and we are learning to release that life into circumstances we encounter. Remember, God held nothing back when He gave us Christ, He gave us all (Rom 5:7-9; 8:32). We are a container (2 Cor 4:7) of THE LIFE of God and one of the attributes of that life is healing. You by your connection to that life have become healing for yourself and others. It is your very nature. Psalm 107:20 says, He sent his word, and healed them. Through the new birth He sent His Word Jesus to bring you in to the divine life and everything that is in that life. If he has already given you all things when He gave you Jesus who is the Word, then He gave you healing because it is who he is and he gave you his life. He supplied all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus (Phil 4:19), Christ in you is the hope (expectation) of glory (Col 1:27).The name Jehovah Jireh means the Lord will provide and was a symbolic name given on Mount Moriah by Abraham to memorialize the intercession of God in the sacrifice of Isaac by providing a substitute for the imminent sacrifice of his son (Gen 22:14). As we consider this name, consider THE substitution that took place on the cross. The Lord provided what He had, the uncreated eternal life of God, zoe in the Greek, along with everything that is that life, in exchange for what we had in Adam. Life and blessing was exchanged for death and cursing. Cursing is a manifestation of death in its many forms, blessing a manifestation of the life of God that is in you now as a result of the new birth. I do not have to believe for blessing, it is a consequence of coming to understand who I am in Him. Jehovah Shalom ( Judges 6:24) means the Lord is peace and speaks of the Lord who reveals himself unceasingly as peace. It would be as to say the Lord who reveals Himself as completeness, , safety, soundness, welfare, health, prosperity, peace, quiet, tranquillity, contentment and friendship in every area has through Christ become one with me. Two spirit beings have become one. I am peace because I am united to He who is peace. Shalom. According to Acts 10:36 peace comes by Jesus Christ, He is Lord of all. Galatians 4:1 tells you that as you the heir start to understand what you have received, you will understand you are lord of all, small l. After all of this you say to me Rick, there are needs I have that the names you have shown us today do not seem to address, and that may well be. But in the word of God you have the historical account of your family line to review for yourself. With just a few minutes a day you can come to understand the magnificent family from which you come by studying the promises and the nature of He Who is in union with you. One last Old Testament name I wanted to look at is from Exodus 3:14. Borrowing from a commentary by CH MacKintosh we find "And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you."The title which God here gives Himself is one of wondrous significancy. In tracing through Scripture the various names which God takes, we find them intimately connected with the varied need of those with whom He was in relation. "Jehovah-jireh," (the Lord will provide.) "Jehovah-nissi," (the Lord my banner.) "Jehovah-shalom," (the Lord send peace.) "Jehovah-tsidkenu," (the Lord our righteousness.) All these His gracious titles are unfolded to meet the necessities of His people; and when He calls Himself "I AM," it comprehends them all. Jehovah, in taking this title, was furnishing His people with a blank cheque, to be filled up to any amount. He calls Himself "I AM," and faith has but to write over against that ineffably precious name whatever we want. God is the only significant figure, and human need may add the ciphers. If we want life, Christ says, "I AM the life." If we want righteousness, He is "THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS." If we want peace, "He is our peace" If we want wisdom, sanctification, and redemption," He "is made" all these "unto us." In a word, we may travel through the wide range of human necessity, in order to have a just conception of the amazing depth and fullness of this profound and adorable name, "I AM." You are in union with Jesus. You are one spirit with I AM. You and he have become one, that is what union means. What He is , you are because of your union with Him.Here is a positive confession for you, In Him , I AM. The life of God, eternal life, zoe, is everything you could ever need, and you are in union or one with that life. If I died when he died (Rom 6:3-4),If I was raised when he was raised (Eph 2:5-6),If He took what I had so I can have what He had (2 Cor 5:21). I need to know more about what Jesus had. I need to know more about the life of God, in Christ Jesus. When you were born again You became one with El Olam, the Everlasting God, you became one with eternal life. You became one with Jehovah Tsidkenu, the Lord our Righteousness. You are righteous. You became one with Jehovah Mekoddishkem, the Lord Who Sanctifies. You are holy and set apart. You became one with Jehovah Rapha, the Lord That Heals. You are healing because He is healing.You became one with Jehovah Jireh, the Lord Will Provide. You are a blessing though your union with He who is the blessing. You became one with Jehovah Shalom, the Lord Is Peace. You are completeness , safety, soundness , welfare, health, prosperity, peace, quiet, tranquillity, contentment in every area of life. This is who you are in Him because you and God became one. You are not believing for these things, they are your very nature. You do not have to believe to receive, you are because you were born this way when you were born again. Read about your family lineage to understand more about who God says you are. Look at the life of Christ to see how He released the life of God. You are who God says you are in union with Him through Christ. You can do what He says you can do as exemplified by the life of Christ (Eph 5:1; 1 John 2:6). If God has not already given us what we need for the situations we face. If there is something He has held back that we need to believe to receive, then we have a problem because He has nothing more He can give. He gave you all He has which is His very life (John 3:16).Colossians 2:9-10 Living Bible (TLB) 9 For in Christ there is all of God in a human body; 10 so you have everything when you have Christ, and you are filled with God through your union with Christ.….*Jesus has no better righteousness, standing, or access to the Father’s power or provision than we do, because His standing, His righteousness, and His access are ours through our union. You have God’s ability because you have His life and nature in you.Believers have peace, have freedom from poverty and full provision, have life, because they are born again. Believers are healed, are accepted, are glorified, are righteous, are blessed, because they are born of God. Stop trying to take by faith what you already possess by birth.I do not have righteousness, healing, provision, etc because I believe I have them, I have them because I was born of god and these are attributes of my Father that I share in union with Him. Let us agree with God about what we are and what we have through the new birth, despite what we see or feel, and the Holy Spirit will make God’s word good in our experience.2 Corinthians 3:18 Amplified Bible (AMP) says, as we continue to behold [in the Word of God] as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, we are constantly being transfigured into His very own image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of glory to another; [for this comes] from the Lord [Who is] the Spirit.The Spirit of God will cause that unseen, spiritual reality inside of us to change the seen physical body, circumstances, and world in which we live.This is the process in which we glorify God. As we receive increased revelation of how glorious God is, as we acknowledge what He says we are in Him, we will see the manifestation of all that He says we are in Him. Agreeing with God about your union with His life is what Philemon 1:6 is all about. It says…And I pray that your participation may become effectual, as you come to acknowledge every good thing which is in you to Christ. (Montgomery)The participation in the life you possess will become effective as we acknowledge who and what is in us -- the person of God, the power of God, the provision of God, the life of God is your life in union with Him.Remember how the saving work of Christ on the Cross became effective in you – someone shared the gospel with you, you believed and spoke the facts of the gospel, you acknowledged what God had done for you and you were saved. This process is to continue after you are born again. Confession or agreement with God, saying the same thing as God says is made unto strength, unto healing, unto victory, unto guidance, and unto everything else the Cross has provided to you in the life of God. God has already fully provided everything for us through the Cross -- but how much we experience of that provision in this life depends on whether we are going to agree with Him in what He says He accomplished in us at the new birth when he gave us His life, and everything that life possesses. Let us stop limiting ourselves today by the way we identify ourselves The self identification can be subtle such as I am only this or I am only that ..... From this day forward let us be aware of what we tie our I am to. This is the powerful tool of calling the creative process in to flow. (paraphrase of David Allen)From this day forward let us identify our I am by what we are in Him. Amen. *From the asterisk down I borrowed heavily from Diane Kannady , www.riches inchrist.com

Have you ever played a game of Monopoly? If so, you know that the goal is to obtain as many pieces of property that you can, and come out the victor by accumulating the most money by the end of the game. The two most sought after spaces on the board, Boardwalk and Park Place, have a spot in between them that no one wants to land upon. That would be the dreaded "Luxury Tax". The symbol associated with this space is a beautiful diamond ring with the words, "PAY $75.00" written in bold dark letters beneath it. In the pursuit to get Boardwalk or Park Place, a player must carefully throw the dice to avoid having to pay the penalty for owning items that are considered "luxury" such as a piece of jewelry. It sends the message that if a person desires the finer things of life, then there will be a price to pay associated with living that type of lifestyle.

It is ingrained in many of us at young ages when we hear the phrase, "Well, we really don't need that. It is a luxury item." In any given house, certain things could be deemed not necessary and taken off the list of desires. For example, drinking pop was considered a luxury when I was growing up. If it wasn't water or milk, then it wasn't a necessity. Pop was something that was purchased only on a holiday or a special occasion. Yet, if I went to my grandma's house in the summer, her refrigerator was always stocked with pop, and as all good grandmas do, she never put a limit on how much I drank. It still surprises me when I walk into a convenience store how many choices of fountain drinks there are to pick from. You can find many of them priced for under a dollar, and it no longer seems that pop is a luxury item. But after all those years of being denied pop due to its 'wealthy status', I still find myself looking at it as something that I really shouldn't buy because it isn't necessary for my survivial.

My idea of what God considers necessary and what He doesn't was recently challenged. I had received airline tickets in the most amazing way. I was coming home about a year ago from an all expense paid business trip with my fiancee, and while I was riding up an escalator after checking my bags, I had this overwhelming feeling of gratitude rise up within me. In my mind, I began to thank God for this little getaway that was completely paid for from every meal,our accomodations and flights. I felt like a princess given the royal treatment for three days. I was not begrudgingly going home, but I asked the Lord silently to allow me to do this again because I had enjoyed myself. I asked Him for a way to be provided for free travel in the next year.

About thirty minutes before our flight was boarding,an announcement was made that our flight was overbooked. An airline employee asked for volunteers to step down and get on the next flight. My fiancee got up and put our names on the list. When he sat down next to me again, I asked him what we would do if we didn't get on our flight. He said, "If they put us on another flight it will only be about an hour behind this one. And, they will give us each $400 flight vouchers to be used within the next year to go wherever we want for free." I nearly fell out of my chair. My prayer on the escalator was coming to pass!

The two of us waited while the rest of the passengers boarded. As the crowd thinned, and we were the only passegers left, the lady behind the desk motioned for us to go ahead and board. She said, "We don't need you to stay behind after all. Your seats are available." With a heavy heart, I walked onto the plane with a very despondant attitude. I dragged my carry on behind me as I boarded. We got our items situated and we buckled ourselves in. I began a text to my youngest daughter that went something like this: "We are on the plane! We didn't get our free tickets. I am coming home now. I knew this stuff didn't work!" My disappointment stemmed from the fact that I had been reading such marvelous stories about people who prayed for miracles and got what they had asked for. I kept thinking, "I guess I am not good enough for a miracle." That thought no sooner had crossed my mind when a small Asian flight attendant ran up the aisle yelling for us to 'get off the plane! get off the plane!" We scrambled to grab our carry on items and made a dash for the exit. I saw a man with two young children running toward our emtpy seats.

We were given our $400 flight vouchers to be used anywhere in the United States and an allowance to enjoy free meals while we waited. All the way home I was in such amazement that we had been given such a wonderful gift just because I had asked for it.

In April of the following year, we had not used our vouchers and we both seemed undecided about what to do. We couldn't give them away as we were told explicitly by the airline staff that we had to use them and no one else. Only three months remained until the tickets would not longer be valid. Tired of trying to decide any longer, I put my hand on both vouchers and asked God to complete my request. I needed accomodations to go along with the free flights. I kept this to myself, but I prayed expecting a decision to come quickly.

At the end of that same week, I received a text from my sister with an offer to give us some of her timeshare days for free. When she called to check on availability, she was told that nothing was open during the time that we preferred. Minutes later, the same person said, "Oh, wait. We just had something put back in that is now open." She went on to book a large condo that slept six with an ocean view. In addition, it had a full kitchen and two full bathrooms. God made a way.

A couple of weeks before I was to leave, I was telling someone about how all of this was falling into place just perfectly. I said, "God has given me a free trip. This isn't a bill to pay or shoes to buy. This isn't food to put on the table. This is a luxury item." I was amazed that I could actually ask for something that wasn't what I considered a necessity item, and I had gotten it rather quickly.

One day after telling yet another person my story about how this trip was a luxury item, the Lord spoke to me and said, "I don't consider anything a luxury item." I was rather taken aback by that statement. Before I could say anything, He went on to explain. "I own everything. I don't have a price tag on any of My items. If you were to buy a big screen tv and set it up in your living room it would take its place along with all of your other possessions. You would not invite people over, stand before it and say, 'Hey, look at the luxury item I just bought'. No, you would remove the price tag and enjoy the tv. You might tell your friends what a great deal you got on it, but you would not go on and on about how it wasn't a necessity for your life. I don't do that with what I own either, and I own it all. A car is the same to Me as a bird flying in the sky. They both travel. They both bring delight to mankind, but they are equal in My eyes because one is not more important than the other." I sat quietly taking this all in as it went against all of my life long mental programming.

He went on to say, "So, when someone such as yourself prays for something, I don't look at it as unequal to any other thing. A rock is the same to Me as a piece of grass. They are different creations, but one is not better than the other. The world puts price tags on

material items and it sets up a mental block for you to have faith to believe for it. The price of the item many times seems too big, and so you decide that it cannot be something you can afford. It then seems unobtainable. Forget the price of things or if you need the item or not, and just ask Me for the desires of your heart. You are in the world, but you are not of the world. I can do things in very unpredictable unworldly ways so that people can receive the best of all that I own. And, I own everything."

In May, I flew to Panama City Florida to enjoy my free vacation from God. When we arrived, we drove from the airport to the resort to see if we could leave our bags with the staff until our room was ready. Check-in is normally at 4 pm., and it was only 11:30 am. The manager looked intently at the computer screen as he typed my name into the search engine. "Yes. Your reservations are right here, and your room is the only one in the entire complex that is clean and ready this early. You can go right in." We were treated to VIP service which included valet parking. When God plans a trip, He really does know what He is doing.

This experience has been eye opening because we often limit ourselves due to the false belief of whether something is needed or not. God sees everything that He has created for our enjoyment as equal, and nothing is restricted from us. Instead of striving to obtain something and hoping to get it, ask your Heavenly Father, sit back and rest in His lap of luxury.

It was 10 AM on a chilly Valentine's Day and my Father decided to join his sister, Emma, for a late breakfast at Country Kitchen. The temperature was barely above zero when he opened the garage door and started to make his way towards the driver's side before he lost his balance and fell. He tried to get up several times, but he just didn't have the strength.

For 45 minutes, he struggled to pull his cell phone from his pocket and call for help. But, the longer he lay there, the more the cold weather caused his muscles to cramp to the point he couldn't move at all. He thought this was it. The end. He would die, at 90, all alone in his garage. He was surprised when suddenly his neighbor, Tracy, appeared and helped him to his feet and brought him into his house. When my father did not arrive at the restaurant, my Aunt became worried and decided to call him. Maybe he had changed his mind or wanted to sleep in. But when she reached into her purse to pull out her cell phone, she also pulled out a slip of paper with Tracy's phone number on it and then chose to call him instead.

Last week during a visit, my aunt, Emma, shared the story with me. "Wasn't that a Godsend?" What? My mouth dropped open. A Godsend? Did she actually just use the word God in a sentence? Is this the same woman, who two months earlier, had refused my offer of healing prayer with a defiant "absolutely not!". She declared "Now, how did I just happen to have Tracy's number on a scrap of paper in my purse? I don't carry numbers with me." She picked up a small piece of paper that was actually a corner of an envelope and waved it at me." Look at this! I mean, how could I find this slip in my purse so quickly? Tracy was at home too and he ran right over. I just don't think it was a coincidence, at all. Do you?" I smiled and nonchalantly replied. "No, I don't. I am sure God had his hand in it. He loves my Father." She smiled and I could see a faint glimmer of hope in her eyes. A hope of a God, that she had dared not yet admit, existed.

She is 89 and for years I had talked to her about God's goodness in my life, but she wasn't buying it. I understood why too. You see, I didn't believe in Him for years either. It was only when I saw Him personally move in my own life, that my heart softened to the reality that maybe He was real. To tell you the truth, my heart has been heavy this past year thinking Emma would die and would never know God was real for herself. It filled me with so much joy, last week, that she had found Him all on her own. Never doubt that it is too late for anyone. God is always knocking on His children's hearts, but sometimes our own zealousness in sharing God's love for us gets in the way. You can push and push and PUSH and all it does is make the unbeliever put up more walls. God doesn't need our help! Especially if it isn't working. Only He can pull a rabbit out of his hat to show your loved one He is real. Stop striving. Start resting in the fact that He loves them just as much as He does you and is working behind the scenes to make Himself known. Feeling helpless? Like you just can't stand back and let them go to Hell in a hand basket? Pray that the unbelievers in your life have an experience that will rock their world that you have absolutely nothing to do with. You mean I don't get to bring them to Christ? Nope. Probably not. Time to get over it. But don't worry, rejoice in all of the seeds you have planted over the years. I have no doubt that this has all helped your loved one to get to this point. The Holy Spirit is a big boy and doesn't need your help. Resting = Let Him take it from here.

1 Corinthians 3:7

The Voice (VOICE)

7 so the ones who water and plant have nothing to brag about. God, who causes the growth, is the only One who matters.

Nursery rhymes and songs that are taught to children can remain long in the recesses of the mind. While I cannot recall what I got on an important math test in college, I can immediately jump up and perform “I’m a little teapot” with perfect clarity down to the spout and the shout. I don’t have to look up the lyrics or the motions as they seem to be imbedded in my DNA. When did I learn that? In kindergarten at the age of five. This speaks of the power of how impressionable our minds can be at early ages. Just like sponges, we soaked up words whether they were true or not and made them fit into our reality. Adults and authority figures were our guides ushering us along the road to adulthood. If we were surrounded by positive role models and encouraging people, tasks didn’t seem to be so difficult. However, if we were taught from a negative standpoint, and told we couldn’t do something, it made the accomplishment of that job much more troublesome and maybe we failed.

Much of how a person lives his or her adult life is based upon what was taught and demonstrated in childhood. This isn’t new information to any of us, however, it is worth repeating because it is so significant to how life progresses for each individual. From one generation to another, habits and ways of thinking are given out like a pair of hand me downs. No matter how worn out the old clothes are, someone has to endure wearing them until they are no longer useful. In the same way, we have put on thoughts and beliefs from the past that may contain many holes. We were told, “Money doesn’t grow on trees” or “You cannot get something for nothing.” This conveys the message that you have to work and strive and work some more to get what you really want in life. Where does that leave room for a God who says, “Cast your burdens upon me” and “Ask anything in My name, and I will do it for you”?

How should a person proceed after realizing what she considered fact is really fiction? Just like in the ‘Little Teapot” song, it is time to ‘tip me over and pour ME out.” What does that mean? The first step when making a pot of tea, according to the directions on the package, is to start with a fresh pot of water. Following along that prescription, when false thinking is recognized, a person must be willing to say to herself, “No. That is the old way of looking at situations. I am a new creation in Christ.” In a sense then, you begin to pour yourself out by getting rid of the old mindsets and patterns that have developed over your lifetime. Instead of allowing the default emotion of the past take over, a person can say to himself, “How does God see this situation? Would He be worried? ” Some will say, “Well, that isn’t easy.” And, if that is your belief, then that is how it will go for you. If, however, you tell yourself, “I can do this. I want what God wants for me,” that is how you will progress along. You are in charge of how you will live your life and the quality of it. Emptying yourself of negative thoughts and false beliefs leaves room for clean, fresh thinking to take over. You cannot make a good pot of tea with old, dank water, and you cannot fashion a fulfilling life with old, negative thinking.

A person needs to allow herself to be filled with new. Opening up your Bible and asking the Holy Spirit to lead you to scriptures that show you who you are in Christ is a great way to get rid of deceptive thinking. In Ephesians 2:10 it says, “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago.” (NLT) Verses like this will begin to make a person realize the value that she has in God’s eyes while at the same time banishing low self esteem. If you believe that sentence, then you can begin to empty out the old thoughts about yourself and replace them with brand new ideas about who you are.

A few years ago, I took my two girls to a water park for a day of fun and relief from the heat. The park was designed for kids to interact with water through sprayers, fountains and waterslides. This was not a place for a person who desired to stay dry. When small, giggling children are given free access to water sprayers, they will douse you without permission. In this position of power, every passing person was a target for squirting whether acquainted or not. In addition to that, there was a gigantic blue bucket in the center of all the activity. Water continually was funneled into it so that eventually it would be so full it would spill over. Many waited anxiously looking upward for that moment when water would rain down upon them in torrents. To add to the tense anticipation, an alarm sounded moments before the onslaught of wetness was about to hit. This shrill warning gave the adults time to dash to the farthest corner of the pool while the children ran in droves to get in just the right place for the soaking. From down below, you could see when the water was beginning to spill over the sides of the bucket as it was filled to the brim. Then, as if it couldn’t take it anymore, it would abruptly tip on its side and drench everything within a two mile radius.

This is a great visual of what a person must do to change his mental outlook. As you purposefully fill up your mind with positive thoughts and cast away the negative ones, there is going to come a moment where all of that good inside of you will splash out and affect your physical surroundings. Day by day as you think on ‘what is lovely, pure and right’ as God’s Word says, you will reach a place where the joy inside of you cannot be contained. There is a term for that called the tipping point. If you have never heard of it, this is the definition: the point at which a series of small changes or incidents becomes significant enough to cause a larger, more important change. Instead of trying to change yourself all at once, you take it one step at a time just like single drops of water filling up a container. If you keep the water bucket vision in your mind, and tell yourself that you will do the best you can each day, changes will begin to take shape around you.

In John 10:10 (Amplified) Jesus tells us why God sent Him for us: “I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it [a]overflows).” Our Heavenly Father desires for us to experience a flood of plenty in every aspect of our lives. If you are willing to ‘pour yourself out’, then you will experience what Psalm 23:5 says: “My (brimming) cup runs over.” (Amplified)

In trying to decide how to help people reconcile that God is not the quantum realm but has in fact established the quantum realm, It occurred to me after considerable study that the quantum realm is simply the word of God offered, and waiting to be received. Over the past 8 years since first being introduced to Quantum Physics reading William DeArteaga's book Quenching the Spirit, I have read through some of the available material on quantum physics and related concepts including Quantum Glory by Phil Mason, A Happy Pocket Full of Money by David Cameron Gikandi (a consultant on The Secret by Rhonda Byrne), In Search of Schrodinger's Cat by John Gribbin, The Science of Getting Rich by Wallace Wattles, three books by Greg Kuhn entitled Build New Beliefs, Why Quantum Physicists Do Not Fail, and Create More Abundance, plus several audio files by Chuck Missler on Quantum Physics. In addition I reviewed some responses to The Secret. At present here is my opinion on how this science reconciles with the word of God.

Everything that exists came out from God as his thoughts expressed in his word.....God said. Every thought he has to bless and prosper you has already been spoken over you by him expressing His will or desire to bless you in His word. What He has said is available to you to receive or reject. When received as an accomplished fact right now, the word moves from the "quantum soup " of God’s will expressed and extended to you into manifestation. The reason every possibility is presently available in the quantum field is because every possibility is a result of what you do with God's word . One half of all possibility is experienced by lining up what you believe is true with what God has said. The other half of all possibility is experienced by lining up what you believe in contrast to what God has said. If you take what he says as reality right now, it is reality. If you believe in opposition to what He says is true right now, that is your reality . Based on what you accept, you have your reality at that very moment. It is yours. The quanta ( digital bits of energy and more specifically His word) then conforms to whether you have agreed or disagreed with the word of God . Whatever you believe is already yours based on what you do with the word of God .

People that have no knowledge of the word of God can receive from the word of God (quantum soup) by aligning their beliefs with the word of God, whether they know that is God's will or not. They for example believe the universe wants to bless them. They do not know or understand that it is God who wanted to bless them, and He has expressed that in His word which is His will. They simply have decided that it is the universe's desire to bless them, and they receive.

As a believer when we see a promise and accept it as already true meaning an accomplished fact, this creates an emotional response to what we have realized is already true. The acknowledgement (believing) of what has always been true is what causes the word of God (quantum soup) to manifest. This is seeing the unseen as real, and as a result it become visible.

It was the standard comeback given to any salesperson who came to our door. From boy scouts to vacuum cleaner salesmen, this was the response that was immediately handed out. At a young age I became a student in the school of “How to Turn Down a Salesperson In One Easy Step.” This entailed watching my mom say this phrase right after the person had introduced him or herself. She never said it unkindly, but in no uncertain terms she meant flat out no in plain English. Her answer usually came just as the unsuspecting visitor was just about ready to launch into the most finely tuned sales pitch. There was no lingering on her part to give a false glimmer of hope.

Without realizing it, I had picked up on this habit, and over the years I have followed her example when it has come to dealing with proposals presented to me. On many occasions I have been told that I was considered to be a ‘hard sell’. The minute a person begins to tell me why I need to buy his or her product, I find myself shifting into shut down mode. I smile, politely give the automated response, and no matter how much pressure is applied, my answer does not change. I have to admit, I have said no to things when I really wanted to say yes because this technique is so ingrained in me.

With this mechanism in place, it is a miracle that I accepted Jesus as my Savior. It dawned on me recently that my mom’s quick decline at the door or on the phone meant that her emotions could not be played. That is the key to selling an item to someone. If emotionally charged words are used to illicit enough feelings in a listener’s heart, she can be persuaded to buy. How many times have you thought that you were going to say no and a week later a Fedex package arrived at your house? Apparently, something that was said changed your answer from a negative to an affirmative. And, now you have signed up to receive a new potholder each month for the rest of your life. You don’t even cook.

Being accustomed to not letting people talk me into anything, meant that I should have been able to disregard God’s offer of salvation. Unlike most individuals who do an altar call in a large church before a clapping congregation, I was persuaded by the Lord to ask His Son into my heart while I was alone in my living room. I had been given literature on the born again experience by a family member who simply dropped off the material and left me to my own devices. I think she realized that my nature was not open to a debate. Instead, she quietly gave me the information and departed.

After reading through the pages and the scriptures that were laid out so convincingly, I surrendered my life to the One who created me. In that moment, it became clear that I needed Him in my life. Since that day I have gone out of my way to please Him and to do my best not to cause an offense to upset our relationship. I have walked a faith tightrope not wanting to slip and mess up with my Heavenly Father.

One day during my devotional time with Him, He said, “I am trying to get you to buy something.” Of course, I asked Him what that could be, and I had this thought, “I want you to accept My fullness of love that I am trying to sell to you. I will never let you go over a cliff in your walk with Me. My love for you is much bigger than that. I know that you have been told that you can fall away and that I will turn My back on you if you don’t follow after Me perfectly. This is not true. I want you to buy into the fact that you cannot separate yourself from My perfect love.” I began to wonder where this revelation had been because it brought such a feeling of liberation. I asked Him, “So, how do I accept this idea that I cannot screw this up?” He said, “Read My Word. Let me point out scriptures to you that will pierce your heart, touch your emotions and allow you to buy into what I am saying. Others have convinced you of the opposite of this. Let me persuade you into believing the truth.”

One of the first scriptures I found was this in 1 Corinthians 7:23 where it says, “A high price has been paid for your freedom, so don’t devalue God’s investment by becoming a slave to people.” Here I found that I had forgotten that God had actually purchased me through the death and resurrection of His Son. Instead of adhering to this, I had somehow listened to the words of others who thought they were doing me a favor by directing me away from the simplicity of this passage. I thought I had to ‘work’ to stay in His good graces. My eyes were being opened to the fact that He bought me and there wasn’t any mistake I could make to cause Him to ‘return’ me to the store. In Ephesians 1:13, it was made clear to me that I have been stamped with the seal of the Holy Spirit. This identification mark cannot be erased, and it makes me His forever.

Through this exercise, I have been finding myself more convinced of His love for me. At times, I am overwhelmed when I realize how much I have quoted scriptures, heard sermons preached and none of it touched me at a heart level. You can speak scripture out loud for many different reasons. Maybe you want to impress your neighbors with how spiritual you are. Maybe you think it will bring you closer to God if you memorize passages. The Word is alive, but it can be made very much dead if it isn’t used for the empowerment of who you are and God’s glorious role in your life. Tossing around scripture will not do you any good unless you really take in what the scriptures say. In the same fashion that I disconnected myself emotionally during a sales pitch, I have followed the same format when it came to letting God’s promises sink into my spirit. This is quite the shock after walking with Jesus for twenty years.

Salvation is just the beginning to a changed life. The next step can be rather difficult if you have suffered from low self esteem. Am I really that valuable to God? Me? How can one believe that the God of the universe would want to do everything for him or her? I mean, maybe a slight answer to prayer here or there, but He wants to cover all things for me?

In John 14:14 you will find that it says: “If you ask Me anything in my name, I will do it.” This statement leaves no room for misunderstanding. Jesus said that, but do you believe it? This is the part that God is looking for you to ‘buy’. I began to find scriptures that I was led to that resonated with my spirit, and I wrote those down on note cards. Instead of trying to memorize various passages, I decided to go through my cards during quiet times like when I am eating or out taking a walk. I don’t whip through them, but read one at a time and think about it. The more time I spend pondering a certain sentence or promise from God’s word, I become more emotionally attached to it. Just like the persistent salesman who won’t take no for an answer because he knows that the more time he spends with you, the more likely you will be to make a purchase.

Doesn’t that put a new spin on why you are spending time reading scripture and hearing the voice of God? Instead of a ritualistic approach or following a thirty day program to better yourself, you are actually allowing the promises of God to penetrate your life so deeply that you will then expect to live just as the Bible says you are supposed to. Why would you expect any different? Following along the same lines of how you bought those potholders, this same method holds true for the Word of God. His promises will change your response to the outside world and allow in the ideas, the people and the items that God so much wants you to have. The difference, however, is that He will never ask for your credit card number because He freely gives. His great love is up for sale. The question is: Are you buying it?